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Why is long-term unemployment on the rise?

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published February 17, 2026 at 11:06 AM CST

While the unemployment rate seems stable, the number of people who’ve been out of work for six months or more has been ticking up. It’s now at about 25% of the overall unemployed. Why is long-term unemployment on the rise?

Roben Farzad, host of “Full Disclosure,” joins Here & Now‘s Scott Tong to explain.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Here & Now Newsroom